Window regulator mechanism



1957 A. J. COLAUTTI ETAL 3,346,297

WINDOW REGULATOR MECHANISM Filed July 9, 1965 2 Shets-Sheet 1 IN VENTORS ATTORNEY Oct. 10, 1967 A. J. COLAUTTI ETAL 3,346,297

WINDOW REGULATOR MECHANISM Filed July 9, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet z ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,346,297 WINDOW REGULATOR MECHANISM Albert J. Colautti, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and Bela Sandor, Detroit, Mich., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 9, 1965, Ser. No. 470,937 7 Claims. (Cl. 296-146) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE For a convertible vehicle body, a rigid glass closure is provided for the rear window opening of the convertible top and is movable between a raised position in flush sealing engagement with the top of the opening and a lowered position within the top storage well by transversely spaced window regulator linkage sets foldable between an unfolded position extending longitudinally and upwardly of the vehicle body and a folded position wherein the linkages are retracted downwardly and inwardly of the body to be disposed in a nested position extending generally transversely of the body. The linkages include members which are successively hinged together in a manner defining a point of convergence of the various hinge axes which is located short of infinity. The linkage sets are further movably mounted on the body in a manner to alter the movement path of the linkages whereby to move the glass closure into proper sealing engagement with the convertible top.

The use of large rigid glass retractable back windows in convertible vehicle bodies rather than flexible translucent panels, has in many cases necessitated the development of some special means for mounting the window such that it will be freely movable between its raised and lowered positions either with the top or independently thereof without interference from surrounding folding top and body structure. Generally, it has been proposed that such means take the form of a window regulator mechanism which is structurally independent of the folding top so that the path of movement of the window is not dietated by the geometry of the folding top frame or otherwise. While these prior mechanisms generally meet their broad functional requirements, it often happens that they take up large amounts of space in the body to the extent of protruding into the area reserved for luggage, and of interfering with the normal stack height of the folding top frame when folded into the top receiving well. These problems are due largely to the fact that the window is usually required to move generally over a swing path of relatively short sweep 'or distance, but of large radius. Further complicating these problems is the frequent requirement that when moving to raised position, the Window must go through a peculiar final motion sequence in order to be properly engaged with some specialized form of seal strip on the folding top. The regulator mechanism of this invention answers to many of these difiiculties.

One feature of this invention is that it provides a back window regulator mechanism operable to move the window over a path of substantial radius, yet which occupies 3,346,297 Patented Oct. 10, 1967 to the foregoing and further including relatively simple means for changing the path of movement of the window at a predetermined point in its path in order to effectively engage the window with sealing means on the top.

These and other features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following specification and drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a partially broken away fragmentary elevational view of a convertible vehicle body including a back window regulator mechanism according to this invention and showing the window in raised position;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing the window in lowered position;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line '3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 44 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is a view taken in the direction indicated by line 55 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a convertible vehicle body 10 includes a folding top 12 adapted for movement between a raised position as shown and a retracted position, not shown, wherein the top is folded within a transversely Opening convertible top well 14. Since top 12 is of generally conventional construction, the supporting frame component thereof is not particularly disclosed herein, the structure and operation of such a frame being believed to be well-understood in the art. The fabriccover 16 of the top is also generally conventional and includes rear quarter portions secured around the rear quarters and deck of the body by conventional tacking strip means 18 disposed generally under the body belt molding 20. Cover 16 in its rearward transverse portion is provided with a back window cutout 22 of maximum size affording good. rearward visibility and conforming with the general styling features of the top and the body. Cutout 22 is adapted to be closed by a back window closure 24 fabricated of thin rigid glass. The closure is again of maximum size and may be formed with whatever curvature dictated by the adjacent fabric portions of the top 12. Closure 24 is adapted for movement relative to the top between raised and lowered positions by window regulating means presently to be described, and when in its raised position, the closure is slidably engaged at its upper edge portion within a generally downwardly facing channel-shaped seal strip 26 on fabric 16,

and flushly engaged at its side and lower edges with a flat.

and operation of the other or left-hand side linkage are but minimum longitudinal space in the body and which identical except as to hand. Linkages 30 are of a configuration which may best be characterized by the term cone hinge. As will hereinafter appear, such a configuration contemplates that the several links of the linkage are successively interconnected by single-axis hinges which are so oriented relative to each other that their axes converge at a predetermined common point in space. The general principles of such hinging and the method of acquiring the same are fully set out in Podwys United States application S. N. 466,020, filed June 22, 1965, as-

signed to the assignee of the present invention, and entitled Convertible Top, and reference is specifically directed thereto. As therein disclosed, the common point of convergence for a cone hinge linkage defines a remote elfective center of movement therefor. For a spaced pair of such linkages whichare operatively interrelated for coordinated movement, a line drawn through the two points of convergence defines an effective axis of hinged movement. Specifically, as herein applied, the two cone hinge linkages 30 mount closure 24 for swinging movement relative to a remote effective axis of rotation located generally upwardly and rearwardly of well 14. Closure 24 and linkages 30 are however not structurally connected to this effective axis, so that the specified requirements of large radius of rotation, freedom of interference with surrounding top structure, and compactness within the vehicle body are readily achieved.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2, the right-hand linkage 30 of the regulator mechanism includes an offset mounting bracket 32 bolted to the right-hand inner side panel structure 33 of the body partially defining the well 14. As seen best in FIGURE 5, a further offset leg 34 of bracket 32 pivotally mounts by a stud 36 one end of a linkage mounting plate 38 extending rearwardly from the stud. The rearward end of the plate is provided with a bored hinge portion 40, and a first regulator link 42 has one bifurcated end 44 thereof hingedly mounted to portion 40 by a pin 46 which defines a first hinge axis A. Link 42 extends in predetermined canted relation from axis A and includes a second bifurcation 48 at its other end. A second regulator link 50 has a bored hinge portion at one end thereof received within bifurcation 48 and pivotally connected thereto by a pin 52 defining a second axis B. Again, link 50 has a predetermined cant relative to axis B and includes a bifurcation 54 at its other end. A stub ling 56 has one bored end portion thereof pivotally secured within bifurcation 54 by a pin 58 defining a further hinge axis C, and the stub link includes a flange 60 cemented of otherwise suitably secured to the underside of closure 24.

, As seen in FIGURE 2, axes A, B and C are arranged to intersect at a common point of convergence X located in space short of infinity. As seen in FIGURE 3, a similar point of convergence Y is also created by identical provisions in the left-hand linkage 30. A line drawn through these two points defines the effective axis of rotation of closure 24 relative to the body when linkages 30 are moved from a lowered position shown in FIGURE 2 to a raised position shown in FIGURE 1. For each linkage 30, the general criterion is that the convergent point thereof be located inwardly and rearwardly of well 14 so that linkage undergoes inward and rearward retraction relative thereto. The specific movement of link 42 is seen as being between a lowered position directed generally horizontally and transversely of the body and a raised position directed slightly upwardly and generally forwardly of the body. This is fixed by an initial selection of the length of the link and the orientation of axis A. Stub link 56 of course always moves in a generally longitudinal plane of the body to index the closure 24 for similar longitudinal movement. After selecting the length of the stub link, the length of link 50 and the orientation of axes B and C to intersect with axis A at point X are determined as by the methods set out in Podwys application S. N. 466,020. By the geometrical considerations also therein set out, the lengths of links 42 and 50 and the orientation of the axes are finally adjusted so that the exact path of motion of the closure is reflective not ment so that the closure is moved smoothly between its only of the desired final positions thereof, but also of any in FIGURE 4, plate 38 has welded or otherwise secured thereto an output drive gear unit 66 including a pinion 68, indicated in FIGURE 2. The end of a respective cable two positions. Motor unit 62 is preferably arranged to operate sequentially with selected raising and lowering movement of top 12.

As seen best in FIGURE 4, a cam plate 72 has one leg thereof welded to the offset portion of bracket 32 and extends transversely in the well therefrom to terminate in an upwardly directed arcuate cam flange 74. A cam slot 76 in the flange receives a leg of a bent cam follower pin 78 secured to the lower edge of link 42. As seen best in FIGURE 5, flange 74 is formed concentrically of axis A, thereby to index the slot 76 for cooperation at all times with pin 78. However, as seen best in FIGURES 1 and 2, the slot includes a major portion 80 formed generally in a plane normal to axis A, and'a further portion 81 which curves in flange 74 out of such plane.

By this configuration of cam slot, a selected portion of the movement of closure 24 may occur in a fashion other than full swinging movement about the axis through convergent points X and Y. For example, with the channel-shaped seal strip 26, it is desired that the terminal upward portion of movement of the closure be generally translational in its plane and along the undersurface of the rear fabric portion surrounding cutout 22, thereby to readily engage the upper edge of theclosure within the channel of the seal strip. To this end, portion 81 of slot 76 is directed somewhat upwardly in flange 74 so that as link 42 approaches its generally forwardly directed raised position shown in FIGURE 1, it is concurrently forced by pin 78 to swing upwardly as a unit with plate 38 about the pivot stud 36 on bracket 32. Accordingly, the concurrent swinging movement of link 50 about axis B occurs simultaneously with a generally bodily forwardly and downwardly translation about pivot stud 36, and the ultimate result is the required generally shifting movement of stud link 56 and closure 24 along the undersurface of the fabric 16 adjacent cutout 22. In initially lowering the closure, the pin 78 forces downward swinging of linkage 30 about stud 36 to translate the upper edge of the closure out of strip 26 before beginning the full swinging movement about the axis through points X and Y. It will be observed that as the various links in each linkage 30 must move as a unit during the cammed movement thereof about stud 36, there is no upsetting of the predetermined cone hinge movement sequence in the linkages, but merely a shifting in space of the convergent point thereof, as over the range X-X' indicated in FIGURE 1.

Thus a new and improved window regulator mechanism is provided.

We claim:

1. In a convertible vehicle body having a top provided with aback Window opening therein and being movable between raised and lowered positions, the combination comprising, a window closure for closing said opening, and a pair of foldable linkage means connected to opposite sides of said closure and operative to move said closure between a raised position closing said opening when said top is in the raised position thereof and a lowered position, each of said linkage means including a plurality of members and a plurality of hinges each interconnecting a respective pair of said members for relative movement therebetween, said hinges being oriented with respect to each other to have the axes thereof converge at a point in space short of infinity, said linkages each being foldable and unfoldable transversely of the vehicle body between an unfolded position extending generally upwardly and longitudinally of the vehicle body to locate said closure in raised position and a folded position wherein said linkages are disposed within the vehicle body generally transversely thereof and locate the closure in lowered position.

2. In a convertible vehicle body having a top provided with a back window opening therein and being movable between raised and lowered positions, the combination comprising, a window closure for closing said opening, a pair of linkage means connected to opposite sides of said closure and being operative to move said closure between a raised position closing said opening when said top is in the raised position thereof and a lowered position, means movably mounting each of said linkage means on said body, each of said linkage means including a plurality of members and a plurality of hinges each interconnecting a respective pair of said members for relative movement therebetween, said plurality of hinges being oriented relative to each other to have the axes thereof converge in space at a point short of infinity, and means operative to move said linkage means relative to said body during a portion of the movement of said closure to move said pint of convergence relative to said body.

3, In a convertible vehicle body having a top provided with a back window opening therein and being movable between raised and lowered positions, the combination comprising: a window closure for closing said opening; and a pair of foldable linkages operative to move said closure between a raised position closing said opening when said top is in the raised position thereof and a lowered position, each of said linkages including a first member, first hinge means mounting said first member on said body, a second member, second hinge means connecting said second member to a respective edge portion of said closure, and third hinge means interconnecting said first and second members, said first, said second and said third hinge means being oriented with respect to each other to have the axes thereof converge at a point in space short of infinity, said linkages each being foldable and unfoldable transversely of the vehicle body between an unfolded position extending generally upwardly and longitudinally of the vehicle body to locate said closure in raised position and a folded position wherein said linkages are disposed Within the vehicle body generally transversely thereof and locate the closure in lowered position.

4. In a convertible vehicle body having a top provided with a back window opening therein and being movable between raised and lowered positions, the combination comprising: a window closure for closing said opening; movable mounting means on said body; a pair of foldable linkages connected to opposite sides of said closure and operative to move said closure between a raised position closing said opening when said top is in the raised position thereof and a lowered position, each of said linkages including a first member, first hinge means mounting said first member on said movable mounting means, a second member, second hinge means connecting said second member to a respective edge portion of said closure, and third hinge means interconnecting said first and second members, said first, said second and said third hinge means being oriented relative to each other to have the axes thereof converge in space at a point short of infinity; and means operative to move said linkage means relative to said body during portion of the movement of said glosure to move said point of convergence relative to said 5. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said l1nkage moving means includes cooperative camming means on one of said first and second members and on said body engageable during said portion of movement of said closure.

6. In a convertible vehicle body having a top provided with a back window opening therein and being movable between raised and lowered positions, the combination comprising, a window closure adapted to be moved between a raised position closing said opening when said top is in the raised position thereof and a lowered positron, a pair of support members each swingably mounted on sald body to a respective side thereof, a pair of foldable linkages for moving said closure between said positions thereof, each of said linkages including first and second link members swingably interconnected by first hlnge means, second hinge means swingably mounting the free end of each of said first members on a respective support member, third hinge means swingably connecting the free end of each of said second link members to a respective side edge portion of said closure, power-operated means drivingly connected to each of said first link members to swing said first link members relative to said support members and move said closure between said positions thereof, said first, said second and said third hinge means being oriented relative to each other to have the axes thereof converge in space at a point short of infinity, cam means mounted on said body, and cam follower means on each of said first link members engageable at a predetermined point in the movement of said first link members relative to said support members to cause swinging movement of said support members relative to said body and movement of said point of convergence relative to said body.

7. The combination recited in claim 6 wherein said cam means include a pair of members mounted on said body respective to said linkages and each provided with a cam slot therein of predetermined configuration, and wherein said cam follower means includes a follower pin on each said first link member received in a respective cam slot.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,236,557 2/1966 Podolan 296 BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

P. GOODMAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A CONVERTIBLE VEHICLE BODY HAVING A TOP PROVIDED WITH A BACK WINDOW OPENING THEREIN AND BEING MOVABLE BETWEEN RAISED AND LOWERED POSITIONS, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, A WINDOW CLOSURE FOR CLOSING SAID OPENING, AND A PAIR OF FOLDABLE LINKAGE MEANS CONNECTED TO OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID CLOSURE AND OPERATIVE TO MOVE SAID CLOSURE BETWEEN A RAISED POSITION CLOSING SAID OPENING WHEN SAID TOP IS IN THE RAISED POSITION THEREOF AND A LOWERED POSITION, EACH OF SAID LINKAGE MEANS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF MEMBERS AND PLURALITY OF HINGES EACH INTERCONNECTING A RESPECTIVE PAIR OF SAID MEMBERS FOR RELATIVE MOVEMENT THEREBETWEEN, SAID HINGES BEING ORIENTED WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER TO HAVE THE AXES THEREOF CONVERGE AT A POINT IN SPACE SHORT OF INFINITY, SAID LINKAGES EACH BEING FOLDABLE AND UNFOLDABLE TRANSVERSELY OF THE VEHICLE BODY BETWEEN AN UNFOLDED POSITION EXTENDING GENERALLY UPWARDLY AND LONGITUDINALLY OF THE VEHICLE BODY TO LOCATE SAID CLOSURE IN RAISED POSITION AND A FOLDED POSITION WHEREIN SAID LINKAGES ARE DISPOSED WITHIN THE VEHICLE BODY GENERALLY TRANSVERSELY THEREOF AND LOCATE THE CLOSURE IN LOWERED POSITION. 